A Valedictory Speech
by Angelinsydney
Summary: Michael Jameson was wrongfully convicted of rape and murder. One fateful day he met Officer Ed Lane in the most unfortunate of circumstances. The outcome of that meeting changed them both for the better. Read what happened post season 1 episode "Never Kissed a Girl". This one-shot story dedicated to jkokol.


_Author's Note: The appeal lawyer was given the first name Ian, his last name was not provided so I took the liberty of using the writer's last name as the character's own, after all, he was her creation._

_And I still don't own Flashpoint._

_**Please** give a one word review, I'm interested in what you think,** thank you.**_

**A Valedictory Speech**

He looked at the face in the mirror. He almost could not recognise the eyes staring back at him: these were happy eyes - lively and hopeful. It had been four years since his pardon, when his criminal conviction was expunged and the Government officially acknowledged that there had been a miscarriage of justice. Since then his life had taken a new course. Before that, he was stuck in the quagmire of life now he had meandered through a series of challenges and had views of hopeful expectation.

Today was his Graduation Day from the University of Toronto, Bachelor degree in Political Science _with honours_; he was asked to give the valedictory speech which he humbly accepted. He had also gained acceptance into the University's Law School to complete a JD degree or Juris Doctor, a further three year program. After that, he planned to sit for the Bar exam to become a full-pledged lawyer. He also dreamed of getting married, having children and saving the world.

The eyes in the mirror smiled at him, _first things first._ First, he had to get through the valedictory speech.

"Dad, do I **really** have to go?" Clark Lane asked petulantly, emphasizing 'really'. He didn't know Michael Jameson and he really, to be truthful, didn't care. His graduation was of none of his business. What he wanted to do on this lovely, sunny day was to practice with his Band, to jam with his best buddies. Not go to some boring function that had nothing to do with him.

"Yes, you do! Clark for the fifth time I'm telling you, you're coming. You can go to your band practice after. NOW, get change", replied Ed Lane. His Dad's voice, Team Leader of Team One, the elite of the elite of the Strategic Response Unit, had changed from calm to one of commanding and authoritarian. The tone in his voice brooked no argument. Clark knew better, to dare was to risk not getting to band practice at all!

His mother, Sophie looked him in the eyes and said, "Don't test him," without verbalising it. He was ready in five minutes. He put on a plain white T-shirt layered by a shirt in a shade of blue that highlighted the colour of sapphire in his eyes, distressed pair of denims, Converse shoes and accessorised by a pair of ear phones. Izzy, now a wonderfully active three-year old was left in the care of a neighbour. Graduation ceremony was not a fitting occasion for a toddler to attend.

Ed kept in touch with Michael Jameson and followed his story in the news long after that eventful day when the newly paroled 26-year old held him and another person hostage at gunpoint inside the Court house in Toronto City. The word-for-word recollection was fading now, what he would never forget though was the tear-stained face, the pleading voice, the defeat in Michael's eyes as the young man later held a gun to his own head in an anguished cry for justice, for himself and his beloved friend, Katie Bakerton.

He would never forget, "I promised Katie," Michael said in a heart-breaking narration, "when I went to her grave for the first time that I will clear my name. Not for me, but for her."

Michael Jameson received monetary compensation for wrongful conviction and for the 11 years he spent in an adult prison. A pittance in relation to the hard time he served, but enough to send himself to University for the Bachelor Degree he just completed and another three years to obtain a JD. Enough to pursue a meaningful life dedicated to helping others in the same plight he was in.

It was with great joy and bursting pride that Ed Lane accepted the invitation from Michael to attend his graduation ceremony. "I wouldn't miss it for the world," he said when he caught up with the younger man. "I'm more worried about you missing your own ceremony, considering how busy you are," he joked.

Ed had no doubt Michael would go on to bigger and better things, as he studied for his undergraduate degree he was active in the Downtown Legal Services, the law school's public interest clinic for low income clients, and the home of its Public Interest Advocacy clinical education programs. The clinic offered legal assistance in the areas of academic offences and appeals, criminal law, family law, refugee and immigration law, and tenant housing. Michael, due to his own story was particularly active in cases pertaining to legal appeals. Ed said, "You need to slow down a little."

Michael laughed easily these days, even though these days he carried a heavy burden. The legal system was clogged with cases of wrongful convictions. The victims were mainly the poor, the dispossessed, the abandoned and the mentally ill. More than that, he carried a heavy burden in his heart, Katie's killer still hadn't been found. Fifteen years was a long time for anyone to be waiting for justice. But it's also this burden that continued to fire up his belly when he was tired trying.

The Office of Convocation reserved one row of seats for Michael's guests. He was a person of pride for the University. A young man toughened in the crucible of fire yet came out of it still tender-hearted. He was an innocent, a mere boy of 15 who had never kissed a girl when he was tried as an adult of rape and murder and subsequently convicted as charged. Yet he came out of prison still believing justice could be obtained, still believing that the law could right the wrong committed against him through the appeals process. But the law, in the person of Senior Prosecutor Dan Cheznik failed him, not once but twice. The second time was when pertinent records of how Michael's supposed confession was obtained were removed from his file. It hindered his hope to mount an appeal for wrongful conviction. In utter frustration Michael held two people hostage, one of whom was Officer Ed Lane.

He walked out of the Court after the hostage-taking incident on his own two feet instead of a body bag because Ed listened. The SRU man believed him, in him; and cared to say to him at the end of that hostage saga, "You know, you never told me your name."

He remembered saying, "My name is Michael Jameson."

Until then, he was but a string of numbers. He was a case number, then he was prison number, then he was a file number. That moment, he ceased to be a string of digits. He has a name, Michael Jameson.

His guests of honour included his Mom, Dad and his siblings, ; Ed Lane and his family, Katie Bakerton's parents, Ian Spalding, his former legal lawyer, now mentor; and, the love of his life, also named Katie and her family.

The time came for the Master of Ceremony to call on Michael Jameson, "The Law School," he said, "could not have found a more fitting person to deliver the Valedictory Speech."

Michael went up on stage dressed in a toga, his head crowned with a cap. The respectful applause was both deafening and sincere. But this wasn't just applause for the degree he completed but for the journey he had made thus far. Weaker people would not have survived it. Some memories he wouldn't go back to, even for a split second. "Don't go there," he'd tell himself when the ugly of ugly, terrifying memories threatened to eat his soul. He decided early on that he had a choice. He could dwell on the nightmares or he could dream the dream. The chose the latter for he owed it to himself and to all who loved him, especially Katie Bakerton.

He stood in front of the microphone, faced a crowd of people and waited for the applause to die down. He was grateful for the precious minute to collect his thought and settle his breathing. When he started to speak, his voice quivered slightly, a bundle of nerves bombarded his heart and brain with electrical impulses. "My life story has been an open book. You have read about my conviction for rape and murder, some of you may even have followed it from the beginning. But today is not about rehashing the past, today is about the present and the future ahead of us." He sighed deeply. He tried to make the sound inaudible but failed.

"The only thing about my past I carry with me are memories of Katie Bakerton, she was my best friend. I was the only black kid in school, she didn't need to be nice to me but she was. I have no doubt," he looked at Katie's parents who looked back with tenderness eyes brimming with tears, "that it was because you raised her to be just that. You raised her to be kind, and good, and fair. I want to publicly thank you for your support and for accepting me as she had accepted me."

He turned his attention to Ed Lane, "Officer Lane thank you for saving my life. You didn't just save my life. You gave it back to me. You set me free. You set us all free. My parents, Katie's parents, all my friends and everyone I have ever come to know." Ed Lane formed a fist with his hand and placed it on his chest, Michael did the same. Then, it dawned on Clark how beautiful it was that his father played a part in Michael's story. He felt pride well in his heart. Proud of his Dad, proud to be his son. And he was proud of the man on stage who overcame so much pain, and so much hardship. And he was glad he came to be a witness to this grand occasion.

"Ian Spalding," Michael addressed his appeal lawyer. "You are my hero. You could make a lot of money doing something else, working for big companies but you do what you do – overworked and under paid because you believe that we are all entitled to a vigorous and intelligent advocacy. I aspire to be like you." The wiry, overtaxed lawyer tearfully acknowledged the tribute with a nod. It had been a thankless vocation for the most part, but this was compensation for the efforts he had put into this self-sacrificing calling.

"I aspire to become a lawyer. Today that long journey continues. I have many years ahead of me still to complete. But you and I don't have to wait years to become men and women of the law. We simply start with a conviction that everyone, regardless of status, the colour of the skin, background and education, or lack of; are entitled to legal representation, entitled to a fair hearing, and entitled to an honest and factual presentation of evidence.

In closing, he said, "Where people who cry for truth and justice, we have to believe that our advocacy to those ideals are crucial, so I urge you when you find yourself judging and condemning before you know all the facts, step back. When you find yourself forming an opinion before you heard all sides, learn to listen. When you find yourself repeating hear says, stop. The miscarriage of justice doesn't start at sentencing; it starts at the first whisper of 'guilty' before guilt could be proven."

The crowd fell silent. They would remember today not for what was said for his speech wasn't the most eloquent ever orated. They would remember today for who spoke - a young man who fought hard for truth and justice not just for himself but also for his family and friends.

It would have been easier to take the path of less resistance but instead he chose to take a path less travelled. For he was right, had he not cleared his name no one would be looking for Katie Bakerton's killer. He did it for her so that one day the sub-human who killed her could be brought to justice. That day would come, sooner or later. He would continue to believe that until the last!


End file.
